We'll not die!
by carlos olivera
Summary: We cannot die here. We must go back. To the refuge. Where our light… no, my light, is waiting for me.


**_Author's Notes_**

 ** _Hi again!^^_**

 ** _This story to be honest has been written long time ago, but till today I never translated it. And, to be completely sure, I'm not the one that translated it^^_**

 ** _In fact, I want to pay my best respects to my dear friend Francesco, that he's really helping me a lot to translate all my stories._**

 ** _Grazie, Francesco!^^_**

 ** _Plus this, this brief one-shot wants to give an answer to the biggest Cross Ange's mystery; how the f… has Tusk been able to survive in episode 21?_**

 ** _Stay tuned, the new Futatsu Sekai chapter will arrive soon!^^_**

 ** _See you soon!^_^_**

 ** _Carlos Olivera_**

 ** _..._**

I look at you will you look at me, your eyes wide and a disbelieving expression, right after I handcuffed you at the steering wheel of my vehicle.

Weird. It seems that I can see fear in your eyes.

But I had no choice.

I know full well how much you care for Momoka, and I fear for what you might do if I left you here.

On the other hand, Embryo won't let us escape. Somebody has to stay behind.

The time for revenge will come; time in which that crazy hedonist will pay for everything he's done. Even though that time is not today.

"You have to live." I tell you after having programmed the autopilot for the only place where I know you'll be safe.

You look at me again, incredulity rising more and more, while in your gaze I see the mounting fear.

You'll probably think that I am about to do something foolish.

But don't worry. I have no intention to die.

I must get back to you. You are my light, the warmth that warmed up my life, right when I was almost convinced that I had no reason for going on.

You gave me that reason: my goal. Protecting you has become my mission.

Not because I am the Knight of the Villkiss.

Because I love you.

I love you, Ange.

And as soon as I'll get back to you, I'll tell you once and for all, hoping that it won't end as usual: I ask myself how can I be still alive, after all the times you have hit, whipped, tied up and shot me.

But that is what I like about you too: your fire.

Your soul is as red as your eyes, a burning fire capable of restoring hope even in a hopeless and corrupt world like ours.

But now those eyes are humid, wet, and when I notice a smile fights to reach my face.

Who would have thought that you would be capable of crying?

For how long did you keep those tears locked up inside, too intent on appearing strong, on being the inveterate tomboy that, perhaps, you never truly were, not at the bottom of your heart anyway?

You have something of Princess Angelise: the purest part, the only one worthy of being preserved, and that till now you have always kept hidden, not wishing to seem weak, or perhaps because it made you think of what you were, and what you now hate with all of yourself.

These tears are like blades.

I can't stand seeing you cry.

It's the true Ange that I want to see: the warrior. Because the true battle is about to begin, and now more than ever everyone of us need that fire that only you can release.

"I'll come back to your side." I reassure you. "I promise you."

"Don't do this, Tusk!" you scream at me with a look that I never saw before.

It's too much. I can't take this any more.

I know that this is not the best time, but I can't help it.

I lean in quickly, taking you by surprise, brushing my lips against yours. In another occasion you would have probably shot me, now it's almost as if you are giving in to me.

And then, my mind goes back to the first time, that cold night.

I take advantage of this to put in your hands the pendant, the gift you gave me that day, during that brief time in which we were happy.

It's a way to reassure you that I will be back: I hope you'll understand it. I could never part from such a precious thing, as well as I could never part from you.

The vehicle is revving up; I take some steps back, but I keep looking at you, showing that childish grin of mine that you have so often criticized, but from which you seem unable to look away now.

"Tusk!"

But I have no time to answer you.

Embryo is still here. And he seems mad as hell.

Pretty hard for a narcissist to see his girl in another guy's embrace.

I follow the sound of the vehicle, to make sure that it's far enough.

Done. Now you're safe.

He's probably thinking that he can get his hands on you again as soon as he's done with me. He doesn't even imagine what little surprise I've got in store for him.

"You blasted monkey!" he screams, and unloads the last bullet in his revolver.

The Kevlar vest does its job once again, although the hit makes the gun belt fall off.

Not a problem, it's not like I'll need it again.

"I hate those who don't give up!" I scream, getting out all my rage.

I myself look forward for the chance to gut this pig, but I know it's out of discussion for now.

But I can't help but sense a rather confident feeling rise up seeing him going as white as a sheet when, opening my jacket, I let him see the little gift I got wrapped around my chest.

For someone who believes himself a god, this time he's been caught with his pants down.

Did he really believed that I would just stand still and just play target for him?

Perhaps I'm still unable to kill his true body, but sure I'll be really glad of tearing this one to bits.

But if he hopes that with this we'll be done, he's gotten this all wrong.

I still cannot die.

I must go back to her.

Even though perhaps it's best if he believes me dead; there's a chance that he'll let his guard down, gaining us some advantage when it'll come down to the rematch.

Without letting him see it, I drop a flashbang, that explodes as soon as it meets the ground.

Immortal as he might be, not even his self-proclaimed godly eyes can take a sudden light like that, and in fact he's dazzled for a moment.

That moment is all I need.

With the emergency device I open up my belt and at the same time I activate it, and immediately after I throw myself from the top of the building into the ravine.

The explosion barely misses me, taking with it an entire floor and making a lethal rain of debris fall towards me.

I fire the telescopic grappling hook, but the grip is not the strongest, even though it slows me down enough to save my neck, and the branches of the trees below do the rest.

For a moment I think I'm done for.

Instead, after opening my eyes, I find myself there, in the small wood below the cliff, the sky reddened by the flames and darkened by the smoke.

I made it.

Ange after all is right in saying that I'm someone who doesn't die not even when he's killed.

I think I might give Embryo a run for his money.

I try to stand up on my feet. The pain is wrecking my body.

Luckily the painkillers bottles are still there, even though I need two before being able to merely limp.

I start walking towards the bay, when a strange, emerald-green light surrounded by the ember red of the fire, gets my attention.

It's the Mana.

The Imperial Guards found it already?!

No, impossible. For all he knows, Embryo just saw me plummet to my death. And moreover, that light just stands there, somewhat hidden amongst the bushes.

Something in my mind tells me to get closer to it, while a crazed suspicion begins to crawl into my head.

When I deal with the last obstacle, a tree hit by a piece of a truck and uprooted with extreme prejudice, and I find myself before a small inanimate body, I can't help but let out a surprised cry.

"Momoka!?"

Incredible.

Scratch yours truly. It's this maid, apparently so shy and passive, to have nine lives. The light of the Mana surrounds her, protecting her from the flames that blaze all around.

I feel like laughing. I wonder if it was all programmed, or just an incredible stroke of luck. The hole in her clothes is still visible, where Embryo shot her, and I think I see some metallic stuff under it.

Could she be a robot? That would explain her invincibility?

Making my way through the fires, I gently pick her up, and she reacts to that movement by opening her eyes, regaining consciousness for a few moments.

"T… Tusk…"

"It's all right, Momoka. I'm right here."

"A…Angelise-sama…"

"She's safe. Thanks to you."

She smiles, then she suddenly fell asleep, while the light around her fades away; with the fall in the ravine and the use of all that Mana, she must be exhausted, poor thing.

But there's no time to just look at her while she sleeps.

Embryo has surely sent someone to pick up some traces of us.

We must go back.

To the refuge.

Ange is there.

Where our light… no, my light, is waiting for me.


End file.
